However it looks to have been re-blued to me as well. If you look closely you can see what look like scratches that have been blued over. Colt would not have allowed it to leave the factory like that.

Your second pic shows the scratches on the slide, which are indicative of it having been sanded at some point. Also, the "crispness" around the numbers and edges is gone. Look at the first two pics in the link you provided and you will see the "crispness" that I'm talking about. But pics never tell the whole story, and I'd love to see it in person.

The value is in the history behind it, and the fact that it is one of two left standing from the original Navy contract.

I'm jealous, and covet your Colt. I've owned a bunch over the years, but never any that could be traced back to anything as cool as yours.

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